Railway and tramway rail and wheel flange lubrication



Nov. 6, 1934. 1,979,447

RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY RAIL ANDWHEEL FLANGE LUBRICATION -E. G. BUTCHER'ETAL I Filed Dec. 15. 1932 gmmw MSW, M

I ".mwnico ge were.

'Walesand Wi l am E ANDTBAMWAYRAIL AND- WHEEL WELANGELUBR/ICATION l g Mp I 1,979,447

wahmnza. Ni s u i dm md June. Ea tw od, I

. w see was: Austral-la I Application December-13 1932. Serial: No.647.030.

.4 .In Australia July. 1 1,- .1932

This; invention relates to improved methods and improved means forreducing the wear of rails at curves on a railway or-tramwaytraek-andof-the wheel fla-nges or therollihg 'stoclr, due to-contact no}; ofthewheel flanges with-theside of the rail head,

by the automatic "application of small quantities of fluid lubrican-tt othe heel flanges-before suchcon'tactoccurs. I I

- Our" invention comprises the positioning of a fluid l-ubrica ntcontainer; whichfunctions as a distributor,-paralleltoand nearer incontact with the inner side of-a railfhead-in sucha manner thatdestruction-or mutilation ofthe containerbythe wheelflanges isprevented; automatic {and tintermittentfeeding of lubricant to thecontainer froma source'bf supplyr-thedelivery of smallquantitiesoflubricant to the exterior ofthe contamer-2 the removal ofportion ofthese quantities bythe wheel flanges; and thefremovaiand-collection 'forfurtheruse of excess deliveries of lubricanwmmthedistributorifl I l the accompanying drawing which illustrates thein-ventionz i i I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device-positionedmime ashram I "Fig.2 isasimilar view of a containerand supportingsprings; I l Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the deviceinFigr2positioned on ara-il I I WEI Fig. iisanend elevation of thetongue in Fig. 3;-

' Figlfi' asectional end elevation of another formofcontainer; c I I I II Fig. 6*is" an enlarged perspective view of portion oftlie-tongue ofFig. 5; I I Fig; 7 and Fig. 8-are sectional elevations showing otherformsofcontact members; I i

- Fig; 9 ishiront-elevation of a portion of th I lower lip orthecontainerinFig;7; I

Fig. 10 is asiniilar view of-the under faceof 'ithefccntactmeinbei'orrig. '7 I I FigL-lil is-a sectional elevation of a supply tank Alubricant container 10, formed. preferably, of V sheet metal or otherstiff yet flexible material, "is .1: of approximately triangular crosssection and formedjwith a delivery mouth near its apex; the mouth beinga longitudinal slot or a series of spaced holesg-the container ismounted ametal trough 11 and resiliently supported as, foreigampie, wsteel wires -12, -12 which are adjustably secnredto spring plates Bandto suitable fixed. supports 1 4; 14 on thextrack bed; v Another form ofresilient mounting for the container andtrdughlFigs. 2and '31)icomprises "is? 1ea1;springs:-.15,,,.15 each secured-to a :steelplate1161,

1 fingers 26A which return the which isfastened to thef foot of a-railbya lug 1'? anda moyablel atch 18. The otherend of each spring issecured to the trough 11 by a bolt 19 which passes through the troughandis extended to contact with the'web of the rail. In this-form of theinvention the inner wall'j 20 of the I trough is adapted to contactwiththe under face of the rail head andby adjusting the length of thewall ZO the apex of the container may be positioned as desiredinrelation to the innerface ZI of-the rail head. I --The-resilientmountings of the container are so arranged and adjusted thatpres'surebythewheel flanges oftherolling stock forc e's the container and troughdownwards andretains them in that position and thus preventsdestructionor mutilation of the. container and trough by the wheel flanges; theupper outer ends of the container being bevelled off to minimize theinitial actionof the first oncoming wheel flange. I

The rail-side wall 2219f the container (Figs. 3, 5, 7 and 8) is extendedto form a relativelyfixed upper lip 23 which is outwardly turned andfunctions as a directing lip of the mouth for lubricant which is forcedinto the top' of the container. The container-wall 24 remote -from therail is provided with a relatively movable inwardly directed lower lip25." Theselips for themouth of the container. I I I *In Figs. 3,5, andSthemouth of the container is fitted with ai'netal tongue. 26providedwith m a portion of means positioned in the line of travel ofthe wheel flanges of the rollingstock fcr contact therewith. The outerends of these means are also bevelled ofl The tongue 26 (Fig. 3) c isloose inthe container and is provided on its lower inner face withspring tongue to its original contacting position. I

The tongue 26 (Figs. 5 andfi) is supported on the -1ower lip '25 and isfitted with an inwardly I and upwardly directed perforated member 27,

which tends to restrict the mouth of the container, and with anoutwardly curved and downward'ly directed movable contact member 28.This contact member 28 maybe injthe form of a longitudinal rod (Figs. 3and 8), and in Fig. '7 is shown as a contact wiper which is resilientlymounted on leaf springs 29. I l j Theton'gue 26-of Fig. 8 is secured tothe lower 1ip25. U V

AsshowninFig. 7 thecontact wiper 28 is positioned over the containermouth whichis in the.

form of spaced holes 30 in the lower lip (Fig.9) I

Denressions. 3:1 and openchannels 32 (Fig. 10)

are formed in the inner face of the member 28 in correspondence with theholes 30 and are adapted to be moved downwards by the wheel flanges intoalignment with the holes so that lubricant 5 passes to the top of themember 28 and thence to the wheel flanges. When the wheels pass on thesprings 29 automatically lift member 28 so that the holes 30 are closedand unnecessary leakage from the container is prevented while the,

to device is not being operated.

The pressure of wheel flanges on each contact member 28 forces themember inwards anddoWnwards so that the capacity of the container nearthe upper end of the wall 22 or portion of this 5 capacity is reduced bythe movement of the tongue 26 or by the movement of the upper portion ofthe wall 24 or by both movements.

Excessive upward movement of the container and trough due to theresilience of the mountings go is prevented by means of adjustable stops33 fitted into fixed supports 34 on the track (Fig. 1) or to the contactof the Wall 20 (Fig. 3) with the rail head.

A lubricant supply tank consists of a liquidand air-tight chamber 35provided with a filter 35A and an air sealing cap 36. By means ofadjustable nuts 45 on studs 46 mounted on a bar 47 which is secured tothe foot of a rail by adjustable lugs 48, the tank is mounted at aheight So: sufiicient to establish and maintain lubricant at anapproximately constant level in the container during the periods ofinoperation of the container.

A lubricant trap 37 is secured to the tank and is fitted with an airinlet'pipe 38 and a delivery mouth 39 to which is attached a flexiblepipe line 40 in communication with the container 10. To prevent returnof lubricant from the pipe to the trap a check valve 41 may be fitted inthe pipe line.

An aperture 41 in the partition wall at a convenient height thereinserves as a means of communication between the chamber 35 andthe trap37.

The tank, trap, pipe line, and container 10 are supplied with lubricantto the desired level; Passage of a wheel flange of the rollingistockinto contact with member 28 produces lateral and downward pressure onthe tongue 26 and or on the upper portion of the wall 24 of thecontainer so that the capacity of the upper portion of the container orthat portion of the capacity lying between the tongue and the wall 22 isreduced and lubricant is thereby forced upwards and directed outwardlyby the upper lip 23 on to the wheel flange at its junction with thetread of the wheel. The flange thus lubricated transfers a portion ofthe lubricant to a wearing part 42 (Fig. 3) of a rail head at a curve inthe track, thus reducing wear of the rail head and of the wheel flangescontacting therewith.

Excess lubricant delivered from the mouth of the container 10 iscollected by the trough 11 and delivered by a pipe 43 to a collector 44positioned .at a lower level than the trough. Y

On the removal of lubricant from the container by the action of thewheel flanges further supplies, to make good the loss and to restore thelevel of lubricant in the container, are provided by the trap 37. Flowof lubricant from the chamber 35, controlled by atmospheric pressurethrough the pipe 38, re-establishes the level of lubricant in the trapand, thereby, in the con tainer 10.

We claim:

an tut.

ing a lubricant-container of approximately triangular cross-section, adelivery-mouth near the apex of said container fitted with a relativelyfixed upper directing-lip and a relatively movable lower lip, a movabletongue supported by said lower lip, a contact member on said tongue, andadjustable resilient mountings adapted to positionthe apex of saidcontainer adjacent to thev inner side of a rail-head and said contactmember in the line of travel of a wheel-flange.

2. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-containerof approximately triangular cross-section, a delivery-mouth near theapex of said container provided with an outwardly turned upperdirecting-lip and an inwardly directed lower lip, a tongue mounted insaid mouth fitted with an inwardly and upwardly perforated member andwith an outwardly and downwardly directed contact member adapted to bepositioned in the line of travel of a wheelflange, and adjustableresilient mountings adapted to position the apex of said containeradjacent to the inner side of a rail-head.

3. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator compris- I ing alubricant-container of approximately triangular cross-section, adelivery-mouth near the apex of said container fitted with an outwardlyturned directing upper lip and an inwardly directed lower lip, andoutwardly directed tongue secured to said lower lip, a contact member secured to the outer end of said tongue adapted to be positioned in theline of travel of a Wheelflange, and adjustable resilient mountingsadapted to positionthe apexof said container adjacent to the inner sideof a rail-head. no

4. A rail and wheel-fiangelubricator comprising a lubricant-container ofapproximately triangular cross-section of flexible material having adelivery-mouth near its apex, adjustable resilient mountings adapted toposition the apex of said container adjacent to the inner side of arail-head, and the outer wall of said container being adapted to bemoved toward the wall adjacent to the rail.

5. A rail and Wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-containerof approximately triangular cross-section, a delivery-mouth near theapex of said container, a supply-tank, a pipe connecting said tank andcontainer, a lubricant-trap in the supply line between said tank andcontainer, an air-inlet for said trap, and adjustable V mountingsadapted to position the apex of said container adjacent to the side of arail-head. A

6. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-containerhaving a deliverymouth formed with a relatively fixed upperdirecting-lip and a relatively. movable lower lip, a movable tonguesupported by said lower lip, a contact member on said tongue adapted tobe positioned in the line of travel of a wheel-flange, and means adaptedyieldingly to position the mouth adjacent to the side of a rail-head.

7. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-containerhaving a deliverymouth formed with an outwardly turned upper directinglip and an inwardly directed lower lip, a tongue mounted within themouth having an inwardly and upwardly directed perforated and anoutwardly and downwardly directed contact member adapted to bepositioned in the line of travel of a wheel-flange, and means adaptedyieldingly to positionthe mouth adjacent to the side of a rail-head.

8. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising. a lubricant-containerhaving a delivery-150 tending rail-abutting and outer walls with adelivery-mouth between the upper edges thereof, a yieldable tongue insaid mouth capable of being pressed by a wheel-flange toward saidrailabutting wall whereby to squeeze lubricant from the mouth, and meansfor mountingsaid lubricator with its mouth adjacent to the side of arail-head.

EDWIN GEORGE BUTCHER.

WILLIAM EDMUND JUPE.

